Can turning mechanism



Oct. 4, 1932. H. HERMANI 1,881,187

CAN TURNING MECHANI SM Filed April 4, 192& 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 A ORNEYSOct. 4, 1932. H. HERMANI 1,881,187

CAN TURNING MECHANISM Filed A rilA, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ORNEYSPatented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY I-IERMANI, OFBALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE TIN DECORATING COMPANY OFBALTIMORE, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY CANTURNING MECHANISM Application filed April 4, 1928. Serial N0. 267,384.

This, invention is an improvement in'can' turning mechanism, and moreparticularly in a mechanism for receiving axially moving formed canbodies and (6 axes parallel.

Can bodies of'the character in question are formed from suitable stockonma-ndrels, and are delivered in substantially axial alinement. That is,they move axially from the forming machine. s

For subsequent operationon the bodies, it is .preferable that the bodiesbe received with their axes parallel, that is, that they be delivered tothe machines for subsequent .0p

'15 erations moving at right angle to their axes,

, or substantially so.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is the provision ofa mechanism for receiving the axially moving bodies for alining them,and for imparting to each body movement in a direction to swing the axisof the body at right angle to the direction of travel, and to deliver itin this position.

Another object is the provision of means in connection with saidmechanism for firmly but yieldingly grasping the bodies during the earlypart of their travel, and during the turning movement.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts fully described hereinafter,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out inthe claimsappended hereto, it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion, size and minor detailsof construction within the scopeof'the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit ofthe invention'. v In the drawings forming a part hereof Fig. 1 is a sideview of the improved mechanism.

Fig; 2 is a plan view with parts broken awaya i Figs. 3. and 4 aresections on the lines 33' and 44rrespectively, of Fig. 1. 'In thepresent embodiment of the invention, the. mechanism is designed toreceive can bodies 1 traveling from the mandrel of aforming machine notshown, the bodies delivering them with belt 11 is horizontal.

being delivered from the forming machine moving axially. Each body inthe present instance is provided near the end, which in the complete canwith the ribbed end foremost. I

The mechanism includes a suitable frame 3, in which is journaled a shaft4, carrying a relatively large pulley 5, and a relatively large gearwheel 6, both the pulley and the wheel being secured to the shaft. Theshaft 4 is at the end of the frame remote from the forming machine, thatis, at the delivery end of the mechanism; end, pulleys 7 and 8 arejournaled on shafts 9 and 10 respectively, held in the frame, and theshaft 10 is directly above the shaft 9.

A belt 11 is supported by the pulleys 5 and 7 and the relativearrangement of the shafts 4 and 9, and the relative size of the pulleys5 and 7 are such that the upper run of the The lower run of the belt isengaged by a tension wheel 12, which ismounted for movement toward andfrom the run, the shaft 13 of the wheel being supported in a slot 14 inthe frame, and adjustable in the slot.

Adjacent the shaft 4 a shaft 15 is j ournaled in the frame, the saidshaft being a drive shaft and provided with a pulley 16, which may beconnected by a belt 18, with a suitable source of power, as forinstance, the machine which performs the subsequent operations on thecan bodies. The shaft also carries a spur gear 19, which meshes withgear wheel 6 aforementioned to drive the shaft 4, and a pulley 20,which, with the pulley 8 supports a second belt 21.

Another pulley 22 is secured to the shaft 4, and the lower run of belt21 passes over said pulley. As shown in Fig. 3, the pulleys 5 and 22,and the gear wheel 6 constitute an integral structure having a hub 23journaled on the shaft 4. The upper run of the belt 21 is engaged by atension wheel 24, on a shaft will be the top, with an? annular rib 2,and the bodies are delivered and near the oppositev operating runs ofthe I in'iFi'g. 1.

i Fig. .4.

c with the belts, the forward end lel with the upper run of belt 11 inspaced relation, the spacing corresponding substantially to the diameterof the can body 1, so that when the bodies are between the cobelts theyare grasped with sufficient firmness to cause them to move with thebelts, while at the same time they may be shifted in the manner to bepresently described.

,Referring to Fig.- the pulley 22 is offset inwardly from the pulley 5,and that the belt 21 is much wider I I than the belt 11. The arrangementis such 21. which enthat that portion ofthe belt free from gages the canat the pulley ,5 is

the 7 run ofthe belt 11in spaced relation.

, Between-the pulleys 5 and .7, and between V. thepulleys 8 and 5,

belts 11 and 21 have guides 26 and 27 respecthe adjacent runs of thetively, the guide 26 being below the upper run of the"be1t11, while theguide 27 is above the lower runof the plates which are supported fromthe frame by arms 28 and 29 respectively, the plates 26 and 27 areoutturned as shown As the can mountedto slide 1n a guide 32 on theframe.

* The member is limited in its movement toward the frame, but may yieldaway from the frame. A coil springf331s arranged be- -twe entheframe andthe bracket and acts nor- 1 many 'to'draw the alining member toward thesaid member being limited in theframe,

however, to the position of such movement,

'As' the can bodies leave the forming machine and enter between thecooperating runs of the belts 11 and 21, the move in contact ,with thealining member 30 which alines the Just beyond the alining supported, byarms from the frame, and

can bodies axially. member a plate'St is 35 extending laterally theendof the plate is in-position to engage P the forward ends of the canbodies at the side remote from the alining member 30, as shown in Fig.2. Since the can bodies are traveling the engaging of the side of withthe plate will impart to the can bodies a quarter turn as also shown inthis figure, and the bodies will swing around with the forward endabutting'ithe plate 34: and will afterwards travel in this manner to thedelivery end of the mechanism It will be apparent from the descriptionand the drawings, that the canbodies are grasped and transported byflexible means,

- -j that is, the belts, and that at the points where the bodies areturned, the flexible means is 3, it will be noticed that pulley 22,extending above the upper i engage the forwardends of thecans-at onebelt 21. These guides are,

and the ends of bodies pass from the forming machine betweenthecooperatingruns of the belts 11 and 21, they move in contact with ingsaid'belts to carry without liability to damage of the bodies.

'What is claimed as new is: f f v 1. Mechanism of the class described,in-

cluding belts having opposed runs to grasp and move a succession ofaxially alined can bod1es,and means atone side of said belts forsuccessively engaging the forwardends of the canbodies to shift saidbodies a quarter turn, said last named means comprising a. platearranged with its plane substantially parallel with the direction ofmovement of the belts, an'd having one 'endpositionedto side of thebelts.j

2; Mechanism for receiving axially-mov said check including aplatepositioned to en-' gage atone end the body andalong which.

thesaid endmoves. T i

3. Mechanism of the class described, in-

cluding belts having opposed runs to grasp and'move a succession ofaxially alined can bodies, means at one side oftheibeltsfor engagementby the forward ends ofthe bodies to shift said bodies a-quarter turn,ing plates for the belt ru'nsto'limit the movement thereof away fromeach other;

4:. ln ama-chineof the class described, a pair of belts havingopposedrunsto grasp a tubular can body, pulleys for supporting the runs,the pulley supporting the upper run being ofiset laterally withrespect'to' the pulley supporting the lower run' and the belt of theupper run being of a width toextend above the beltof the lower run atthe pulleys. 5. In a machine of the "classldesc'ribed, a pair of beltshaving opposed substantially parallel runs to grasp a .tubularcanbody,ulley's for supporting the runs, the belt of the upper run being of Igreater width than the belt of the lower run, and thepulleys supportingtheruns at the delivery end of the machine being oEset laterally, sothat that portion of the upper what the pulleys isfree. 6. Mechanism ofthe class described ineluding belts having oppositelydisposed runsspaced to positively engage with oppoalined cylindrical can site sidesof axially bodies received therebetween, means for'm ovthe can bodiesheld therebetween inhorizontal position, a member disposed between sa'idbelts to engage a portion of an approaching surf'ace ofa can an aliningdethe front ends and back body to cause the body to turn axially betweenthe belts to change the direction of the axis of the body, and means inadvance of said member to engage a surface of the ap proaching canbodies to aline them for effective engagement with the member, saidmeans for moving the belts being so arranged that the rounded sides ofthe can bodies will be gripped with sufficient pressure by the belts toprevent the bodies from rolling out from between the belts duringturning and carrying of the can bodies between the belts.

7. Mechanism of the class described includin g belts having oppositelydisposed runs spaced to positively engage opposite sides of axiallyalined can bodies received therebetween, means for moving said belts tocarry the can bodies, a member disposed between said belts to engage aportion of an approaching surface of a. can body to'cause the body toturn between the belts to'change the direction of the axis of the body,and means in advance of said member to engage a surface of theapproaching can bodles to alinethem for effective engagement with themember,

said member having an elongated portion to engage a surface ofthe canbody after it has been turned to maintain cans in substantially parallelalined relation for delivery from the mechanism.

8. Mechanism for receiving. axially moving formed can bodies and fordelivering them with axes parallel, comprising a pair of pulleys mountedat the intake end of the mechanism, a driven wheel, a pair of pulleyson'said wheel, a driving wheel meshing with said driven wheel, a pulleycarried by said driven wheel, a pair of belts mounted around saidpulleys with oppositely disposed runs in substantially parallel relationfrom the intake end to the outlet end of the mechanism to grasp oppositesides of the axially alined can bodies at the intake end, and meansbetween said runs for engagement with an approaching surface of thesuccessive can bodies to cause the can bodies to make a quarter turnbetween the opposite runs whereby the cans will be delivered at theoutlet end with axes parallel.

- 9. The structure of claim 8 wherein the pulley supporting the upperrun is ofliset laterally with respect to the pulley supporting the lowerrun and the belt of the upper run is of a greater width than the belt ofthe lower run.

10. The mechanism of claim 2 in which the alining device consists of anelongated plate positioned so thatits alining face will always beparallel to the direction of motion.

11. The mechanismof claim 2 in which means are provided toprevent theturning of the can bodies while engaged with the alining device and inwhich thecheck is positioned a sufficient distance beyond the aliningdevice so that the can bodies will be totally disengaged from thealining device before engagement with the check.

12. In a mechanism of the class described, parallel flexible conveyingbelts, means for feeding alined cylindrical can bodies to said belts.

13. In a mechanism of the class described a conveyor for can bodies, andan elongated fixed plate parallel to the motion of the conveyor andprojecting within said conveyor so that the forward end thereof willobstruct movement of the bodies and cause them to turn while beingconveyed, the side ofsaid plate serving to aline said bodies uponmovement by the conveyor beyond said forward end.

Signed at Baltimore in the State of Maryland this 2nd day of April A. D.1928.

HENRY HERMANI.

